GOP Senators Try Again to Restrict 'Birthright Citizenship'

Several Republican senators are taking another crack at preventing the children of illegal immigrants from gaining automatic U.S. citizenship.

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and three colleagues on Tuesday announced a bill that would restrict so-called "birthright citizenship" by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. law provides that anyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen, but the proposal would change that, to require at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen, legal resident or member of the U.S. military.

In announcing the bill, Vitter referenced recent reports about a cluster of condos in California that were allegedly converted into maternity centers for Chinese women who want to give birth to children inside the U.S.

"'Birth tourism' is certainly a reprehensible practice, but it is not an illegal one yet," Vitter said in a statement. "It is astounding that the U.S. government allows individuals to exploit the loopholes of our immigration system in this manner, and Congress has the authority and the obligation to put a stop to it once and for all."

But while the latest proposal might find some supporters, the constitutional amendment stands a slim chance of passing, as it would have to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress and ratified by three-quarters of the state legislatures. And critics of the push say it won't address the problem of illegal immigration.